The Vancouver Whitecaps used the home pitch advantage to
perfection as Jason Jordan scored at the end of each half to lead the Whitecaps to a 2-0
win over the Seattle Sounders in the first leg of their playoff series. The Sounders had
won all four meetings between these two sides in the regular season but couldn't crack
Vancouver's defense this time.

First Half

Vancouver had most of the chances the first half. Dave Morris got around the Seattle
defense in the 5th minute and dropped a dangerous cross, but Seattle's defense cleared.

Seattle's first shot came from a long Leighton O'Brien free kick, headed by Scott
Jenkins but saved by goalkeeper Jim Larkin.

For the Whitecaps in the 10th, Steve Kindel crossed from the right to the spot, but
goalkeeper Preston Burpo dove out to claim it before Jordan could get there. In the 17th,
Jordan crossed from the right for Kindel, who skied the half volley. A minute later Jordan
sent in a dangerous low cross for Morris, but Burpo again dove out to claim it.

In the 25th, Seattle's Jason Farrell took a 15-yard shot from the left that was struck
too weakly to bother Larkin.

In the 28th, a 35-yard shot up the middle by Paul Dailly was deflected by a defender
and cleared the bar by just a foot with Burpo leaping backwards into the goal.

After 12 unproductive minutes, a Seattle diagonal pass in the 40th put Farrell into the
penalty area but a defender got there at the same time to clear the ball, and Farrell was
left appealing in vain for a foul call.

44' Jordan (Dailly). On a Vancouver counterattack, Dailly from the
right touch line and the halfway line sent a ball into space for Jordan's timed run.
Jordan was alone five yards ahead of the nearest defender and from 15 yards chipped his
shot over the advancing Burpo. 1-0 Vancouver.

The final minute saw a long Seattle free kick headed on goal with Larkin out, but a
defender on the line cleared the shot.

Halftime: Vancouver 1 - 0 Seattle

Vancouver kept up the momentum early in the second half. A free kick into Seattle's box
was claimed by Burpo just before Alfredo Valente could poke it in. A Morris cross/shot
from the left settled on top of the net. A Valente corner kick was punched away by Burpo
in front of the goal.

Seattle took the momentum in the 58th minute, starting when Viet Nguyen's cross from
the right was headed by Darren Sawatzky, but well wide of the far post. A Farrell throw-in
was passed in front of goal where Nguyen finished from 8 yards, but he was offside and the
flag went up. Brian Ching had a chance from a Nguyen cross, but a defender deflected it
out for a corner kick. In the 73rd, Ryan Edwards' cross/shot from the left was on goal,
catching Larkin off his line, but the goalkeeper retreated just in time to parry it wide
for a corner.

In the 77th, Vancouver got a chance from a Nate Daligcon turnover, chipped by Jeff
Clarke to substitute Niall Thompson, whose quick 15-yarder went just wide of the near
post.

The red card came out in the 78th for Nguyen. After Vancouver fouled at the top of
Seattle's box, a quick restart went errantly to Vancouver and Nguyen came in late and
cleats up into Clarke. Off went the player who had created most of Seattle's good chances.

Seattle's last shot of the match was a 35-yard try by O'Brien in the 80th, sent two
yards over the bar.

Seattle kept pressing for a goal despite being short a man. They wouldn't get a goal,
but they would concede one, as they were leaving themselves vulnerable to the
counterattack. In the 85th, Jordan crossed from the right to Clarke in front of goal, and
the header was saved by Burpo. A Vancouver shot from 15 yards on the left rolled just wide
of the far post.

90' Jordan (Clarke). On another Vancouver counterattack two minutes
into added time, Jordan passed to Clarke and got the ball back. Jordan beat McCormick to
earn a shot from the center of the 18-yard line that caught Burpo leaning the wrong way.
2-0 Vancouver.

One final chance was Vancouver's as a cross from the left gave Kindel an 8-yard shot,
saved by Burpo.

Final: Vancouver 2 - 0 Seattle

The return leg will be contested in Seattle two days hence. The Sounders need to win by
three goals to take the series on aggregate, or two goals to force extra time followed by
PKs. The series winner advances to the conference finals.